Daniel Ruf

Foggy Days

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work."     Emile Zola

The temperate weather in our area has brought a number of foggy days and fortunate opportunities to find the usual, unusual.  The blog image occurred at  the end of a morning shoot when the fog was actually beginning to drift upward to dissipate, but one last call occurred as I passed over this creek on the way home.

The capture was processed in Nik HDR Efex Pro and then further in Photoshop CS5 with touches using Nik Color Efex Pro 4 with its U Point technology as well as the brush tool to help strengthen the barns presence.

In the past year I think I've seen my approach softening a bit by being a little less heavy handed with different software approaches.  At the same time I've enjoyed the increased use of the creative choices available with not only Nik software, but also Topaz, Alien Skin Snap Art and Totally Rad textures.  My approach has been to use any of the aforementioned elements to enhance rather than cover up as I feel an image in need of a "band aid" is more worthy of the digital waste basket.

Of course this developing process (no pun intended) has occured over many years and has been influenced by reading, internet access and workshops and making a monumental amount of learning mistakes...bless everyone of them!

Thanks to all that frequent this site and please take the time to visit the links on the right to see the work of some real masters and friends.

My hopes are with the Baylor women's basketball team as they take up the challenge of the NCAA Final Four.  Sic 'em Bears!

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

Whew!

"What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives"

E.M. Forster

The "Through The Lens" exhibit reception went off without a hitch last night at Arts On Grand and now Mike Houge and myself can breath a sigh of relief.  There was a good crowd of people where we had the opportunity to meet with both new and old friends to discuss the body of work on the wall which was, if I say so myself, massive.  In fact, there was a hint of trepidation in the voice of the assistant when we hauled in the mountain of framed work that we had accumulated. 

As with any show, book or artist submission the showing becomes a measuring stick of accomplishments of the previous year and of the quality and growth of the work.  In my own mind a figurative stake is planted in the ground of the creative process as a marker for things to come in 2012.  It is a challenge, whether intentional or not, to move ahead, undergo new challenges and await the results and I look forward to the trails ahead.

The blog image was taken shortly after I had spent several weeks of printing and framing for the aforementioned showing.  I was tired of looking at white mat board, sick of putting frames together and eager to see if I still knew where the shutter release was located.  While standing in the dining room I began to see of hint of a glorious sunrise, threw gear in the truck and began driving for some location...any location that would offer a reflection.  I was so pale from basement dwelling with the printer that I HAD to have some color...in massive amounts.

It was given in boat loads!

As a side note the Baylor nation couldn't be prouder of its team and Robert Griffen III for bringing home the Heisman Trophy.  A  testiment to those that wait and achieve and finish strong.  Sic 'Em Bears.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a marvelous holiday season.

My book "Places I've Been, Things I've Seen" and new book "Take What's Given" can be purchased online at-  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1868649

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota   www.lanesboroarts.org

BetterPhoto.com   http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V

http://500px.com/pigs4u

Our Center

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared."   Buddha

Last weekend was pretty full with normal routine things and prepping for a photography class that I'm instructing at "A Piece Of Work" gallery www.apieceofworkinc.com  in downtown Spirit Lake, Iowa, but I did manage to sneak away early in the morning to visit one of my favorite places - Ft. Defiance State Park.  Up until recently Spring Creek, which flows through the park has been a real torrent and not really photogenic, but rains have subsided for a few weeks and normal flow rates are in place.  As the blog image shows the lighting was diffuse and soft, which tends to really bring out the colors of an area.

It's hard for me to get very close to moving water and not want to put my feet in and that's exactly what usually happens when I'm anywhere near Spring Creek.  It's a rather lazy stream that ambles through the tiny park, but makes several 180 degree turns in the process.

While I was setting up for a series of exposures, contemplating some HDR editing with Photomatix, I realized that for the first time in a long time the outside world, with all it's demands, clutter and buzzing, was gone and it was at this point that I realized that when my feet are wet my "being" becomes centered.  The beauty that surrounds me becomes the focus of my creativity, including all the subtleties.  The time in this place was for deep mental cleansing breaths, both for the creative Muse as well as my emotional pulse.

The blog image was worked in both Adobe Elements 8 and Photoshop CS4 and then I used Nik Viveza for improving the color balance throughout.  For some reason (which I'm sure is light related) the bluish and magenta tints were running rampant and the white balance settings in my Canon 50D didn't seem to be handling things very well, but that could be due to the mixture of lighting that this location held.

So, being clear on the center and balance of a photographic image is just as important as one's own personal balance and "centeredness" ( a word not found in Webster's) and, just as a well exposed, thought out photograph, shows the true beauty of a subject. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog site and enjoy the week ahead.

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

"Art On 16th"  http://www.hankhallarton16th.com

Artisans Road Trip www.artisansroadtrip.com  

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota  www.lanesboroarts.org

http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V1

My Early Christmas Present

"To put the world right in order,

  we must first put the nation in order;

to put the nation in order,

  we must first put the family in order;

to put the family in order,

  we must first cultivate our personal life;

  we must first set our hearts right."   Confusius 

My good friend Mike and I have a standing joke between us that anytime we get within a mile of a Great Blue Heron (or any form of wildlife for that matter) we usually get the backside view of the bird when it's flying away.  It doesn't matter if we drive up, sneak up or crawl up we definitely get the confirmation of their departure by the sound of flapping wings.

A couple of weekends ago I took a few days for a trip north, camping at Amnicon Falls State Park in Northwestern Wisconsin.  While working the area I headed to the port of Superior where there are a good number of wetlands along the shore of Lake Superior and began walking the banks looking for possible subjects for later in the day.  The light was harsh, but it was getting towards late afternoon and if I twiddled my thumbs long enough the light would be right.

While I was walking along the edge of a wetland/pond area, not paying much attention to where I was headed, I looked up to find this heron right in front of me.  He/she/it looked at me, I blinked several times in amazement and then that internal/external dialogue started.  I jokingly said to self and heron..."you know that if I move to get a better angle for a shot you're going to take off, right?"  The heron casually strolled in front of me with a kind of "whose this dope" look in its eyes and I shuffled a couple of steps to see if I couldn't get a little ahead of him/her/it.  It was then that I caught myself saying..."O.k. I'm going to raise this big Canon bad-boy to my face so you better get your wings set for blast off!"  No response from the now inquiring "what the hell" face of the heron. 

It was about this time that I was really starting to believe that the good wildlife fairy was sitting on my shoulder and I'd better get serious about the surprise portrait sitting that was just a few feet away.  I had a mild tremor to do the Irish jig, but thought that was an unlikely part of the routine of preparation...but it has slipped out in past instances of photographic jubilation.

As the blog image shows, Harvey/Mable/Spot did remain long enough for some serious meditations with the camera, but soon wandered off farther into the marsh and I'm sure he/she/it was checking to see if I had my hip waders on, which I did not.  One side lesson to this capture is when confronted by an opportunity to photograph a stationary heron it's usually a good idea to not center the subject like a rank amateur might do.   And yes, I do believe I heard a departing comment from the heron concerning my inappropriate composition and background adjustment, but I'll still take this as a prize from the trip north.

For more views of my work visit;

"A Piece Of Work", Spirit Lake, Iowa  http://www.apieceofworkinc.com

"Art On 16th"  http://www.hankhallarton16th.com

Artisans Road Trip www.artisansroadtrip.com  

Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Minnesota  www.lanesboroarts.org

http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/Default.aspx?id=251674&mp=V1